Car-door.



G. THOMPSON.

CAR DOOR.

1,159,550 APPLICATION FILED MAY I. I915- Patented NOV. 9,

2 SHEETSSHEET I- COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH CO.,\VI\SHINGTON. D. c.

G. THOMPSON.

CAR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l. 1915.

Patented Nov. 9,

1915. '2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

coumnm PLANOGRAPH C0,,WASH1NOTON, D. c.

anon GE 'rrroMrsoN, or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

can-noon.

Application filed May 1, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, Gnonen THOMPSON, a citizen of the Uni-ted States ofAmerica, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Doors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in theart to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to auxiliary doors or what may be known asservice doors adapted to be secured to and used with the usual slidingdoor of a freight car. In practicewhen freight cars are used to carrygrain or other loose produce it is usual to board up the openings at thedoors to a freight car to the height to which the produce extends, theboards at each end bearing against the backs of vertical frame memherewhich form part of the construction of the car at the door openings. Thedoors thereupon may be readily moved back and forth the same as thoughthe car wasempty.

It is the object and purpose of my invention to eliminate this use oflumber, practically all of which after once being used is shattered andrendered unfit for further use when the car reaches its destination andis emptied. To this end I have provided the construction disclosed inthe accom ,anying drawings, the novel and useful functions of which willappear as further understanding of the disclosure is had.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a freight car doorequipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on theline 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the'line 33 ofFig. 1. Fig. i is a rear elevation. Fig. '5 is a view similar to 2 butwith the parts in different position; and Figs. 6 and? illustrate insection and rear elevation, respectively, details of construction usedin "embodying my invention.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings. The car is indicated at 1 and has a floor onlysuch portions of the car and floor be ing shown as are necessary for thedisclosure of the invention. The opening into the car is normally closedby a door 2 which is hung by hangers 3 from a rail 1, the lower edge ofthe door operating back and forth be- .speetfieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 25,139.

tween the car and rollers 5 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. A framecomprised of vertical and horizontal members 6 is secured to the rearside of the door, said members being secured at the upper, lower andside edges of the door .as shown.

At each side of the opening into the car which the door is normallydesigned to close is a vertical post 7. A plurality of elongatedloop-like members are pivotally attached to the rear side of the door 2,each-member becomprised ofa bar 8 lying closely adacent the door, a bar9 parallel to and spaced a distance from the bar 8 and ends 10connecting the ends of bars 8 and 9. If desired one or more intermediatebars 11 may be interposed between the bars 8 and 9, for the purpose ofreinforcing the structure. Bars 8 are pivotally secured to the door 2 bymeans of clips 12.

The auxiliary door comprises in its con struction three vertical plates13, 1 1: and 15 which are secured to the rear bars 9 of the loop-likemembers heretofore described by means of clips 16. Plates 13 and 1 1 liein the same plane while the plate 15 lies back of and is rigidlyconnected to the plate 14; near one edge, its other edge overlapping oneedge of the member 13. It is designed that the two plates 13 and 15 ofthis auxiliary or service door shall have relative movement with respectto each other and to the door 2 and the clips 16 are sufiiciently looseto permit the lateral movement of the parts on the bars 9. A pluralityof chains 17 are secured at one end to the door 2 and extend to the rearas shown in Fig. 3 being permanently secured at their other ends to theparts 13 and 14 respectively.

Lugs 18 project forward one from each of the members 13 and 11 beinginteriorly screw-threaded to receive the ends of the screw 19. It willbe observed that one end of the screw 19 is provided with right handthreads while the other is provided with left hand threads. The middleportion of the screw is formed so as to readily receive an operatingwrench as shown at 20, this part lying between the spaced apart end 21of a member 22 which is hinged to a plate 23 permanently secured at therear side of the door 2. The ends of the screw 19 pass through thespaced apart members 21. An opening 21 is made in a door 2 through whicha wrench may be inserted for the operation of member 19, it beingapparent that upon such operation taking place the parts 13 and 1-1 ofthe auxiliary or service do'Or' may be drawn towardeach other or forcedaway from each other as desired. The opening 2% through the door 2 isclosed by a slide 25 carried between guides 26 fastened on the front ofthe door 2.

A chain 27 or other suitable flexible connection is attached at one endto plate 13 passing therefrom through an opening in the door 2 andthrough a plate 28 secured on the front side of the door. A lever 29 ispivotally connected to the plate and carries an eye 30 to which theother end of the chain 27 is attached. A hook 31 is pivotally mounted onthe member30 and is adapted to be inserted through the staple 32, driveninto door 2, when the handle 29 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and2, an opening in the handle permitting it to pass over the staple sothat when the hook is received in the staple the handle is heldpermanently in lower position.

The operation of the construction so far as described may now be set.forth.

When the car is empty the auxiliary construction including the plates13, 1A and 15 is designed to be located in close proximity to the rearside of the door 2. To effect this the slide 25 is opened to permitaccess to the nut 20 which is thereupon operated to draw plates 13 and14: toward each other far enough that their outer edges will comebetween the posts 7. By grasping the handle 2.9,and forcing it to lowerposition as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the auxiliary structure includingplates 13, 14 and 15 is elevated and drawn forward, the loops connectingdoor 2 with this auxiliary construction turning about the axis of theirrods 8 as will be clear the members 6. The handle 29 is held in place byhook 31 engaging staple 32 and the entire structure thereupon may bemoved back and forth on the track A the same as any sliding door.

When it is desired to use the auxiliary door in the shipment of grain orother loose produce, the handle 29 is released and plates 13, let and 15take the position shown in Fig. 5, being located slightly back of therear faces of posts 7. By operation of the member 19 plates 13 and 1Aare thereupon moved away from each other, the outer edges passing backof the posts 7. As this operation proceeds the chains 17 assume thediagonal position best shown in Fig. 3 and serve to draw the edges ofplates 13 and 14 tightly against the post 7 making a very tightengagement that will prevent any loss and in sure against the passage ofanything between the plates and the post..

In filling a car with grain or the like the doors at'each'side areclosed and the auxiliary doors positioned as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5,in the manner just described. An elongated opening 33 is provided in theup per portion of the door 2 through which the grain spout from anelevator extends for entering the grain into the car, the grain beingentered into the car until it fills the car substantially the height ofthe plate 13, let

and 15. When the car isfilled the opening 33 may be closed by means ofthe closure as hinged to the door 2 as shown. 1

I have out an opening 35 adjacent the iliary door as a whole may beraised, the 7 pressure of the grain behind it tending to help thisoperation, after which door 2 may be moved to one side, the pressurethereon tending to obstruct this movement beingrelieved as it flowsthrough the opening From the foregoing it will be apparent that I haveprovided an auxiliary or service door which may be used time after timefor an indefinite period. The plates 13, 14: and

15 are of steel and rods 8, 10 and 11 may also 7 be of steel or anyother suitable material. The construction thus made isvery durable andis reinforced in all particulars so as to be able to withstand thepressure against it when inuse. When not in use it lies tightly againstthe back of thedoor and occupies little or no space. It may be appliedto car doors already in use or it may be built on to new doors as newcars are constructed. There are few parts, none of which are at allcomplicated or liable to get out of order and all of which are fullycapable of withback of the door and in they same vertical plane, anadditional plate connected to one of the plates and overlapping theother plate, elongated loops lying between and pivotally connected tothe door and said .plates, chains interposed between and connected tothe doors and plates adjacent their vertical edges, screw-threaded lugsprojecting forward one from each plate, a member having spaced apartends pivotally connected to the rear side of the door, a double threadedscrew having a central section adapted to be operated by a wrench, saidsection being located between the spaced apart ends of said member, andthe ends of the screw passing through said spaced apart ends and thelugs, a flexible connection secured to one of the plates and passingthrough the door, a handle pivotally connected to the front of the door,a connection between the said flexible connection and the handle betweenits ends, a hook pivotally mounted on the handle, and a staple securedto the door over which the handle is adapted to pass and with which thehook engages in one position of the handle.

2. In combination, a car door, a pair of plates located back of the doorand in the same plane with each other, means secured to one plate andoverlapping the other, pivotal connections between the door and plateswhereby the plates may be brought closely adjacent the rear side of thedoor or spaced a distance therefrom, chains diagonally positionedbetween the door and plates, screwthreaded lugs attached one to eachplate, a double threaded screw interposed between and passing throughthe lugs, means connecting the door and screw for causing a simultaneousmovement of both plates with reference to the door on operation of thescrew, a flexible connection secured to one of the plates and passingthrough the door, a handle pivotally secured to the door to which theflexible connection is attached, and means for holding the handleagainst the door after operation thereof to elevate the plates.

7 3. In combination, a car door, a pair of plates located back of thedoor and in the same plane with each other, an extension plate, oneplate overlapping the other plate, pivotal connections between the doorand plates whereby the plates may be elevated and brought closelyadjacent the rear side of the door or spaced a distance therefrom,chains secured to and between the door and plates, means for moving theplates toward and from each other laterally and simultaneously withreference to the door, a flexible connection secured to one of theplates and passing through the door, a handle pivotally mounted on thefront of the door to which the flexible connection is secured, and meansfor holding the handle in place against the influence of the weight ofthe plates after operation of the handle to elevate the platesl 4-. Incombination, a car door, a laterally expansible and contractibleauxiliary door back of the car door, pivotal connections between saidcar and auxiliary doors whereby the auxiliary door may be elevated andbrought closely adjacent the rear side of the door or spaced a distancetherefrom, means for expanding or contracting the auxiliary door, andmeans to hold said auxiliary door in elevated position.

5. In combination in a car, vertical posts positioned one at either sideof an opening in the car, a door slidably mounted on the car adapted toclose the opening, a laterally expansible and contractible auxiliarydoor pivotally connected to the car door, said pivotal connectionspermitting the positioning of the auxiliary door in elevated position au-acent the car door or in lower position a distance back of the cardoor, means for expanding the auxiliary door so that its vertical edgespass behind the posts or contracting it to come within the inner sidesof the posts, and means to automatically bind the said auxiliary dooragainst the rear sides of the posts as it is expanded.

6. In combination in a car, vertical posts positioned one at either sideof an opening in the car, a door to close the opening, an auxiliary doorlocated back of the car door, means connecting the car and auxiliarydoors whereby the auxiliary door may occupy a lower position a distanceback of the car door, or be elevated closely adjacent to the car door,means to expand the auxiliary door laterally so that its vertical edgeswill pass back of the posts and flexible connections between the car andauxiliary doors serving to bind the auxiliary door against the posts asit is expanded.

7. In combination, a car door, a frame connected to the rear side of thedoor, a laterally expansible and contractible auxiliary door locatedback of the car door, elongated loop members lying between and pivotallysecured to the car and auxiliary door, means to expand or contract theauxiliary door, flexible connections interposed diagonally between andsecured to the car and auxiliary doors, means to elevate the door andmeans to hold it in elevated position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE THOMPSON.

Witnesses FRANK E. LIvnRANon, J12, Man RANKIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O.

